In the Face of Death
by Tauna Petit-Strawn
Summary: See note inside Chapter One. Rate T to be safe. Genre always subject to change.
1. Chapter 1

In the Face of Death

Chapter One

A/N This idea jumped out at me as I was reading the conversation between Nick and Heath in another writer's story on another site. She was kind enough to say I could borrow a few lines from story and twist the ones I needed to in order to make them fit the beginning of this story.

 **~oOo~**

 _"Why Nick, because of what happened this afternoon?" Heath stood in Nick's room and asked after their mother had left the room. His concern for his hot tempered brother grew even more._

"I could have killed you this afternoon, Heath. You know that. I thought about it. For a split second I could have split your skull with the nearest rock. Next time I just might do it."

"Maybe there won't be a next time." Heath told him.

 _"Oh come on Heath, we agree not to kid each other." Nick cut him off._ Nick looked at Heath and sighed. How he wished he could change things. He couldn't though. However, as he looked at Heath, Nick remembered the promise he'd asked of Heath. Nick knew Heath would keep his word only in that moment Nick was startled to have it hit him full force just what keeping his word would mean to Heath; **what the consequences to Heath might be. If Heath kept his promise and he, Nick, did indeed pass away Heath would most likely have to leave the ranch. After all, the family would probably never forgive him for not telling them the truth.** "About that promise I had you make. **I never should have had you make it.** Before I go, I'd like to alter it if you don't mind."

If he minded? Of course he didn't mind! Anything was better than having to leave the family in the dark! Though, Heath was puzzled as he looked at Nick. "Why and in which way?"

Nick explained his thinking, and Heath-who was surprised Nick had actually stopped to think about what the consequences to him could be- agreed he had a point. Nick then began telling him what he wanted him to do. "Give me a week, Heath. Give me time to go check on *Jeannie Price in Willow Springs. After a week, simply go to Jarrod and tell him what happened with the wolf. Tell him I asked you to keep silent for one week, because I didn't want anyone trying to keep me on this ranch when I need to go to Willow Springs. Nick paused and then said, "Tell him you gave me your word you'd do as I asked and then say anything you want."

Heath knew Nick enough to know what he wasn't saying, and he didn't like it. "Where will you go if you don't stay in Willow Springs?" Heath asked; his concern was in his voice.

Nick shook his head and picked up his things. "No, Heath. When Jarrod asks you for more information you will be able to honestly say I refused to give you anymore. Maybe you can say that's why you're talking to him-you're concerned because of my refusal to talk about my plans to you. That way the family can be mad at me, not you. Now, keep an eye on the stallion. Work with him. He's a good one." Nick turned and walked out the door.

Heath felt as if his world had been torn apart as Nick disappeared out of the room. He wanted to force Nick back, make him see there was no need to worry and that all would be all right. Only problem was, he couldn't. He could no more see into the future than Nick could. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath and sighed. He then opened them back up, grateful that Nick had at least altered the promise he'd asked of him. He hadn't been looking forward to keeping quiet for as long as two whole months. As it was, it would be hard to keep his mouth shut for a week. He took a deep breath and started to leave the room when Nick stuck his head back in the door and surprised him by asking him to come with him while he said goodbye to the Audra and Jarrod.

"I don't know if I'm coming back or not, Heath. I've said goodbye to mother, and now I need to at least say goodbye to them also only," Nick fell silent, uncomfortable with the fear that lay inside of him.

After the incident with the stallion, Heath didn't have to be told what his brother was afraid of. "No need to explain," Heath said quietly and then followed Nick out of the room.

 **~oOo~**

Nick didn't know whether it was simply coincidence or what, but Jarrod and Audra were both in the living room when he and Heath walked down the stairs. Only he wasn't about to complain. It would enable him to get away from the house even sooner.

Jarrod, who had actually been talking to Audra about Nick's strange behavior and the unexpected trip he'd decided to take, turned his head when he heard Nick and Heath entering the room. He cornered Nick as he did so. "Mother says you've decided to go to the auction. Why? We don't need any more horses."

"Maybe not, but what will it hurt if I simply look?" Nick did his best to smile. "I just wanted to apologize for snapping at you at lunch. There was no call for it."

Like Victoria, Jarrod just knew there was something Nick and Heath weren't saying. "It's all right. You'd had a long trip. I shouldn't have said anything." He paused and then said, "Are you sure you should be turning around and leaving on yet another one, another trip that is?"

Nick felt his heart being torn in two different directions. If only he knew for sure he wouldn't hurt anyone, only he didn't. With the scene of him hitting Heath, Nick threw Jarrod and smile and told him not to worry about him. Then, smiling at Audra, but speaking to Jarrod, he said, "Though, you might want to keep an eye on baby sis here. I hear around town a number of young gentlemen are looking her way." That statement naturally earned him a playful glare from his sister. "You two take care." He said and then turned around to leave.

"Bye, Nick." Audra said before excusing herself. Once they were alone, Jarrod cornered Heath.

"What's really going on, Heath?" Jarrod hated knowing something was wrong, but not knowing the exact details.

If Heath could have, he would have gone after Nick and hugged and slapped him both. Why did he have to go putting him in this position at all? "You'd have to ask Nick. I can't tell you a thing right now." He quickly turned and left the room, hoping Jarrod's thoughts would be too occupied with Nick to catch the words 'right now', or at least not catch them enough to press the issue.

Jarrod watched Heath leave the room and sighed. He had caught the words right now and, if he thought it would do any good, he would have caught up with Heath and demand that he tell him everything. As it was, he simply walked to the living room window and watched helplessly as Nick rode away from the ranch.

A/N *Jean "Jeanie" Price (Nick says Jeannie, headstone says Jean) is, obviously, not a name I came up with. I'm simply borrowing it from the episode also.


	2. Sleepless Night

Chapter Two

The night sky was full of what appeared to dancing stars as Audra stood on the verandah looking up; she was doing her best not to cry. There had been something so final in Nick's eyes as he left the house that, like her mother, she couldn't help but wonder when Nick would come home. The idea that he might be leaving for good upset her greatly, more so because she couldn't understand it. When she heard the sound of a swishing skirt, she knew her mother was walking towards her.

"Why did he leave just after he got home?" Audra asked as Victoria walked up beside her; she didn't figure she needed to specify who she was talking about.

"I don't know." Victoria did her best to give her daughter a reassuring smile as the young woman turned her head and looked at her. "Only the auction is only a week away. You can ask him when he comes home."

Audra's eyes filled with doubt and voiced her fears. "What if he doesn't come back? If you looked close enough, there was a touch of sadness in his eyes. It doesn't make any sense!" She went on to say she was sure Heath knew something, only he had disappeared when she cornered him on the matter, told her the same thing he had Jarrod and then said he was tired.

Victoria wanted to deny what Audra had said only she couldn't. She too had seen a longing in Nick's eyes that she couldn't explain. And, like Jarrod and Audra, she had cornered Heath only to hear 'There's nothing I can tell you'. "We just have to believe he will." Victoria rested her hand on Audra's upper arm. "This ranch and this family mean too much to him to do otherwise."

Silence fell upon the veranda as Audra and Victoria both lost themselves in their thoughts. Though, had they known Heath-unable to sleep-had left his bedroom and was now sitting in the kitchen talking to Silas, they would have wasted no time in corning him again. As it was the talk between Silas and Heath was uninterrupted.

"Sorry, I fear I'm not much company right now." Heath did his best to give Silas a small lopsided grin, though it was hard with the guilty feeling that seemed to be his companion ever since the various family members had tried to get him to talk

While Silas was also aware that Heath knew something, he did not pry or press for answers. Why should he when he could see what a heavy load the blond haired cowboy was carrying; he, Silas, didn't need to make it worse. "You're company enough." Silas smile as he handed Heath some warm milk and asked if he wanted a light snack to go with it.

"Thanks," Heath took the milk, but declined any snack.

"You know the best thing for a body is good hard work during the day and relaxing enough at night to sleep good." Silas might have decided not to ask Heath any questions only that didn't mean he couldn't make comments that held suggestions n them.

"Well, I got the working hard durin' the day down, but relaxing and sleeping aren't exactly coming right now." Heath sighed and drank down the milk, half way wishing Silas had handed him a good strong beer instead.

Silas inwardly sighed. He knew the family was hurting at the moment and, from what he had overheard as Victoria and Jarrod were talking in the dining room earlier, he guessed Heath was hurting more the most. At least, Silas told himself that if Heath did indeed know more than he was letting on, then the blonde haired cowboy had quite a load to carry. He couldn't help but wonder if Heath was blaming himself for whatever caused Nick to leave. Thinking this way, Silas gave Heath a sympathetic smile and said, "Mr. Nick, he has a mind of his own. He does what he wants, no matter what. You're not to blame for that."

Heath knew their faithful and loyal servant had a very valid point when it came to Nick, and it felt good to hear someone acknowledge he had no control over his brother's decision to leave. Heath rewarded Silas for his efforts to comfort him with a genuine grin-even if it was only for a small moment and said, "We do have a tendency to be that way, don't we? I mean, we all have a stubborn streak a mile wide in us."

"Yes, you do." Silas answered as he then turned his attention to the job of finishing his nightly chores, leaving Heath alone with his thoughts and wonderings.

 **~oOo~**

Nick, who had ridden long and hard, only sleeping for a few hours here and there, now stood in the foyer of the Willow Springs hotel. It was late and all he wanted to do was sleep without the worry that came along with wondering if there were any more rabid wolves ready to attack. As it was, he planned on getting a goodnight's sleep and then looking up Jeannie Price first thing in the morning. Of course, he'd have to ask around, see if she was even still in town. As he thought on it, he had to chuckle. If she was married, he'd best let her husband know up front he wasn't looking to break up any marriage. The clerk asking him if he could help him brought Nick out of his private thoughts.

"One room for one night," Nick answered and put his money on the counter. While the clerk tried to make light conversation, Nick simply apologized, saying he was too tired to chat, signed the guest book, took the key and climbed the stairs to the room he'd been given. Once inside he lay down on the bed and did his best to relax, not that easy to do as he thought on each and every member of his family and the fact that there was a high chance he'd never see them again.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Nick, who had arisen early and had breakfast, now walked down the streets of Willow Springs. Nick was in more than a hurry to check out what the hotel owner had told him when he asked about Jeanie Price… _'She married a man by the name of Scott Baum; they live right on the east side of town in a small blue house with a white picket fence around it'_. Good, thought Nick; the sooner he found it, the sooner he could leave town. However, by the time Nick reached the house described by the clerk, he was questioning the wisdom of following through on his original plan. Though, before he could change his mind a black haired gentleman and a young child around three walked out onto the porch and saw him standing next to the fence.

"May I help you sir?" Scott Baum, who was keeping a hold of his young son's hand, asked as he looked at Nick and wondered who he was.

Nick introduced himself and then said, "I was just passing through town." He then went on to say how he and Jeanie had once been friends and how he'd wondered how life had been treating her. "I only have a little while, but I can keep moving on if it's going to be a problem."

Since his wife had never given him any reason to doubt her faithfulness to him, and since Nick was only passing through, Scott saw no reason to deny the man the right to at least say hi to Jeannie. "Come on in."

Nick opened gate that was connected to the fence and entered the yard and then followed the man and the child inside. The child let it be known he was not happy about going back indoors, only to be quickly silenced by his father.

Once inside, Nick looked around. The living room in which he stood held a couch, a coffee table, a couple of chairs and a wood stove. The walls were painted white and held a few pictures. He might have continued looking around only Jeannie, who had heard the front door open, appeared in the archway separating the kitchen from the living room. The woman looked to be at least five to six months along with another child. It took a moment for her to recognize him and then her eyes widened, "Nick? What on earth are you doing here?"

Nick repeated what he'd told her husband and said, "Just wanted to see you for a moment and see how things were." He answered and then accepted her husband's invitation to sit down on the chair nearest the window while they visited; Jeannie and her husband sat on the couch after she had got a few toys out to keep her young son occupied.

"So, has no one been lucky enough to catch you?" Jeannie asked, glancing at his very bare left hand.

A lightning fast bolt of pain shot through Nick's heart, though he kept a smile up on his face. "No, I'm still very much single, though I did gain a brother since we last saw each other." He went onto to tell her a few things about Heath though, right or wrong, he said nothing about Heath's mother or Tom's affair with her. He figured they weren't stupid; they could figure it out without him providing details.

"So," Scott Baum asked after they'd visited for approximately thirty minutes, "may we ask where you're going and if you'll be back?

Where was he going? Nick had no idea; he just knew he couldn't stay in Willow Springs. After all, it would be the first place Jarrod would look once Heath told him what had happened. "I have some personal business to take care of," Nick found himself a bit annoyed the man would ask for specifics. Afraid it might be the beginning of another unnecessary outburst, he hurried to finish conversation so he could excuse himself and leave. "I highly doubt I'll ever have cause to pass through Willow Springs again." He stood up and apologized, saying his business demanded that he keep his visit extremely short. He was grateful when Jeannie and her husband did not press the issue. He then walked out of their home and walked quickly towards the livery stable.

No sooner had he stepped inside the livery stable than Nick had the worst headache he'd felt hit. In fact it was so bad he had to grab onto a nearby pole to keep from falling down. He then stumbled to the stall where his horse was being kept. His canteen was hanging inside the door. He managed to get the pills the doctor had given him and the canteen. It took a bit of doing, but soon he'd swallowed one of the pills. After a few minutes the headache began to subside. While he had had a fleeting thought about staying in Willow Springs, the headache he'd just experienced reinforced the need to flee.

~oOo~

Jarrod could see Heath leaning on the corral fence watching the stallion that he, Heath, had succeeded in riding just that afternoon. Though, from what Jarrod could see, his brother still had quite a job cut out for him, as the stallion was still a little on the wild side. Though, as he watched his brother put his head in his hands, Jarrod just knew Heath was thinking about Nick…and he decided to press from some answers once more.

Even though Heath couldn't see who was walking up behind him, he still knew. He kept his face forward when Jarrod also leaned against the fence. Somehow, that did not surprise Jarrod; still, he had to try. * _"You know Heath, silence doesn't spare the people you love. Sometimes it hurts them worse."_

At that moment Heath was angrier at Nick than he'd ever been. Yes, he had at least changed the promise he'd asked of him; still, it had only been four days. Nick would still be in Willow Springs. If he and Jarrod left right away they might be able to catch him still there, or be right behind him. As it was, there was still three days before he,

"Heath, please, * _no one has to tell me my brother is in trouble. I know it."_ Jarrod again pressed the issue.

"I…" Heath started to answer, only to have it hit him that Nick had only asked for his silence on where he went and what had happened. True he'd made some suggestions only Nick had never once said that Heath couldn't tell Jarrod when he would be free to talk. "I gave him my word to keep silent for a week, Jarrod. I don't like, nor do I agree with it, only I promised. Please, don't expect me to break that word."

A week? Jarrod stared at Heath. Why on earth would Nick ask such a thing? What had he gone and done? He might have continued to seek for answers, only he could see the pure torment in Heath's eyes. He realized that Heath was suffering just as much-if not more-than the rest of them. "All right," Jarrod gave Heath a small smile as he laid his hand upon Heath's shoulder. "But, I expect to see you in the study in three days, preferably before breakfast."

"You can count on it." Heath said and turned his face back towards the corral.

After a few moments of silence, Jarrod turned and walked away.


	4. Help and Hurt

Chapter Four

Nick wasn't sure what time it was as he rode his horse down the darkened road he was on. He'd made camp the night before but had only been able to sleep a few hours due to another headache-though it wasn't too bad. When it became apparent he wasn't going back to sleep, he'd packed his things and started his journey once more. Since it was only two in the morning, he was grateful for the light that was coming from the full moon and various stars that hung in the sky. Other than an occasional night sounds such as crickets, there was nothing to be heard. The silence gave Nick plenty of time to think.

*" _The last few weeks of my life should amount to something…I've got to go look for it."_

" _What if you don't find it?"_

 _"Well, at least I've looked."_

Nick sighed as the words between Heath and himself ran through his mind. Well, at least he knew Jeanie was doing well and, from what he'd seen, had a good man for her husband. Only now what? Where should he go? Just as he had decided to turn north he saw the glow of a campfire not a hundred yards away. He might not have thought anything of it only he saw three men and a woman. Two of the men were holding rifles and ordering the other gentleman and his companion around. "You lie! My cousin would never do such a thing! Now, I'm going to even the sc…!" One of the men hollered. That did it; Nick stopped his horse and quickly tethered it to a tree. He then moved quickly and as quietly as he could. No one was going to kill another person as long as he was around.

"Did you hear something?" Kyle Leer, a twenty five year old gentleman who had been in trouble with the law since his youth, turned his head as he spoke to his twenty seven year old brother, Patrick.

"You've been hearing things all night! It's just the wind! Now," he glared at the man and woman in front of him. "I told you, I had some unfini…" He never got to finish his sentence and Nick stepped into view, his pistol in his hand.

"Drop your weapons!" Nick bellowed loud and clear.

"This ain't none of your business, mister." Patrick kept his voice calm, "but if you want to make it yours, fine." He swung around so fast it would make one head's spin, but it did no good. Nick's bullet felled him to the ground before he could blink an eye. Unfortunately, before Nick shot Kyle in the chest, the man had time to get a shot off and Nick was thrown back by the bullet that hit his right shoulder.

The graying fifty five year old Thaddeus Anderson and his wife ran to Nick's aid. "Bring him into the tent papa," Forty-eight year old Maria nodded towards their tent. "That bullet needs to come out."

Thaddeus didn't have to be told something he already knew, though he didn't say anything as he managed to move Nick into the tent and onto the blankets that lay inside. While he hurried to stop the bleeding from Nick's shoulder, Mrs. Anderson went through their belongings and found the necessary items needed to remove the bullet Nick had taken when he'd come to their rescue.

"Who do you think he is?" She asked her husband an hour later, after he'd successfully removed the offending object.

"Don't know," Thaddeus answered as he washed his hands off with some water from a jug they had with them, all the time keeping an eye on the unconscious stranger who had saved them. "But whoever he is, the sooner he's healed up and gone the better."

Maria was puzzled, and it showed in the quizzical look that appeared on her face. "How can you say that? He stepped in and saved us! Where is your gratitude?" That, ingratitude, was not a trait she'd ever seen in her husband.

Mr. Anderson sighed. He knew what his wife was thinking and he couldn't blame her. He'd also seen the look in Nick's eyes when he confronted their attackers. "One who does not care if he is killed by another is, or can be anyway, a dangerous man."

Again, Maria was puzzled and asked her husband to explain-as they'd never met the injured stranger before. She watched as her husband sat down on one of the boxes they had brought with them on their journey. She was surprised to see how tired her husband looked, not the kind of tired that come from being up in the middle of the night or working on someone. No, he looked flat out tired in general.

"You didn't look at him, did you? I mean, really look." Thaddeus shrugged his shoulders in frustration. "There was a look of a soul in turmoil in his eyes. I don't think the thought of those men possibly killing him made any difference to him."

Maria felt her heart go out to their rescuer as she looked upon Nick. She couldn't help but wonder what had happened to him if her husband was right. "I will sit with him." she said as she knelt down beside Nick. "I will wake you if I need you."

Thaddeus might have argued only he was simply too tired to do so. He looked once more upon the man who had saved them. _"Heaven have mercy on us all'_ he thought as he turned away. "I have two men to bury first." He didn't like the task ahead of him only he could not leave anyone out for wild animals to find. Even if he could, he didn't feel like fending off any that might happen by due to the smell of the dead men.

While Mr. Anderson was busy digging graves and burying the men, Nick was perspiring something fierce and talking in his sleep. Maria tried to talk back to him at first, but gave up once she realized he wasn't really coherent. By the time her husband had returned she knew exactly what was going on and Nick had settled down and was sleeping. However, she was surprised to see a lawman with Thaddeus.

"This is the deputy from Willow Springs. He's been away from town and was going home." Thaddeus introduced the blonde haired lawman and then told her the man was simply checking to see that he, Thaddeus was telling the truth.

"You were blessed to have him come along when he did." The deputy told them as he looked at Mrs. Anderson. He then turned to leave, telling Mr. Anderson that he, the deputy, would make sure the law knew the dead men-who happened to have wanted posters out on them - were no longer among the living. He then left the couple to take care of the injured man. Mrs. Anderson then related all that Nick had said while he was talking during his troubled rest. When asked why she hadn't said anything before, she said their rescuer was not wanted by the law. Seeing how his wife had a point, Mr. Anderson lay down to get what little sleep he could considering all that had happened.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Nick groaned as he opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was the brown headed woman he'd seen standing next to the older gentleman when he interrupted the attack against them. It took him a minute to remember what had happened. He tried to sit up only find the woman laying a gentle hand on his shoulder and telling him to just lie still. He might have argued only one; he didn't really have the strength, and two; he realized he was in a wagon and it was moving.

"Who are you? How long have I been out? Where are we heading?" He asked. The whole time he was half way wishing he had been killed by one of the attackers at least he wouldn't have had to worry about going mad.

"You've been in and out for a number of days, three to be exact." Mrs. Anderson told him after she'd introduced herself and explained how the men who been in their camp were going to kill her husband because he had testified against their cousin in a trial the previous month. "My Thaddeus and I are going to our son and daughter in law's home in Silver Peaks, Nevada." She wasn't surprised when Nick said nothing at first. While he knew he needed to thank the woman and her husband for what they'd done for him, he was also confused. That being the case, he finally spoke up and thanked her then asked, "You could have left me with any doctor in one of the towns you passed by; why take me with you?"

Mrs. Anderson hesitated, unsure of how he would take it when she confessed everything after he'd been injured. "We know what happened to you and why you left your home." She wasn't surprised when he looked at her in horror. She quickly explained and then said, "We may not agree with you leaving your family only we understand. We also couldn't leave you to die alone if it does indeed come to that, not after what you did for us. Only thing we need now is your name. That's one thing you didn't reveal." She smiled as she leaned against the inner wall of the wagon.

"Nick," he closed his eyes and then opened them up again. "It's Nick Barkley from Stockton." Then, thinking on his family, he took a deep breath. "I might have left to protect my family only when I'm gone they need to be told about my passing." 'I just hope they can forgive me' was a thought he kept only to himself.

Mrs. Anderson gave him a sympathetic smile-even as she began trying to think of a way to get him to change his mind and contact his family himself. How could she think anything different? As a mother, she would want to be with her child when they passed on if that should ever happen. "We'll do whatever is necessary. Like we said, we owe you. Now rest," she said as she made her way to the front of the wagon and, crawling through the opening, sat down on the buckboard next to her husband and repeated what Nick had told her. She was surprised by the audible gasp that came from his lips.

"You should have known him?" She asked puzzled.

"No and yes," he shook his head, still reeling from the shock of finding out just who they had with them. "I have never met him before in my life. However, I knew his father, Tom, years ago. He often talked about his sons, especially Nick as most of our talks centered on who would run the ranch once he was gone. Kind of funny really," Thaddeus gave a soft chuckle, "I always told him if he or any member of his family ever needed anything to go ahead and get a hold of me." He wasn't shocked by the look of surprise that appeared on his wife's face. Nothing more was said as the couple traveled down the road, both praying that the man called Nick Barkley would beat the odds as they didn't want Thaddeus' help to the family to be delivering them the news of where their deceased family member lay.

While Thaddeus and his wife talked, Nick lay in the back of the wagon doing his own thinking. It had taken *three days to get to Willow Springs, and then he'd spent one day there. Now, Mrs. Anderson said he'd been out for three days. Heath would be talking to Jarrod this very day or the next, didn't really matter. "Please, understand dear brother" Nick thought as he closed his eyes again "I just couldn't stay."

 **~oOo~**

Nick had been correct with his first thought, the one that said Heath would be talking to Jarrod this very day. Jarrod sat behind his desk reeling from the revelation Heath had given him moments before. His brother's words, and their conversation afterwards, still rang in his ears.

" _It was rabid." Heath stood in the study and finished telling the nightmare that had taken place while he and Nick were on their way home. He sat in the chair next to Jarrod's desk turning his hat in his hands as he did so. "I tried to tell him that he needed to tell everyone and to let us help him. Only, after he snapped at you and slapped me-along with having the thought about killing me-he bolted." He went onto say what Nick had suggested he tell Jarrod. "I might have done so only I already told you how long it could be before I could tell you."_

" _You really think he's left Willow Springs?" Jarrod, who sat behind his desk, asked once he came out of shock. Fear for his hot tempered brother could be seen in his eyes._

 _Heath didn't answer for a moment, wanting to assure Jarrod that they had time to get to Nick only he couldn't. "Yes, I do._ _His only intention in_ _going_ _there_ _was_ _to_ _check_ _on Jean_ _Price_ _. Once he's done that, he'd have no reason to say there. He wouldn't tell me what his plans were after he checked on Miss Price. I just know he doesn't mean to around here and risk hurting any of us. I don't like it; in fact, I downright hate it, but I won't judge him. I can't. I'm not the one who is-as I once heard it said-standing in the face of death."_

" _Well, I'm still heading there. There's still a chance he's in Willow Springs; I intend to bring him home." Jarrod replied as he leaned back in his chair._

 _Heath shook his head, and then smirked at his elder brother. "If WE…" he annunciated, find him there or even pick up on his trail, I don't reckon Nick's going to let you do that. Not unless he's sure he's free of the rabies."_

" _Heath," Jarrod snapped in his best pappy voice, "I'm not going to give him a choice."_

Jarrod ran his fingers through his hair and let out a few choice words. While he understood Nick's actions, he was still very much upset. "You shouldn't have run off Nick!" He snapped only to himself. "We would have done everything we could for you!" He then sat in silence trying to think of the best way to break the news to the rest of the family.

*A/N I really have no idea how long it really would take to get from Stockton to Willow Springs. I'm making up my own scenery and distance.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Nick climbed out of the wagon and stretched his legs while he looked around. He knew, due to comments made by the Andersons, they were behind the schedule they'd set for themselves. Still, they'd managed to travel fifty miles which meant, since he'd ridden five miles before meeting up with the Andersons, they were fifty five miles away from Willow Springs. Of course, he remembered little when it came to the miles traveled. How could he when he'd been fighting an infection that had set in from the bullet wound and dealing with severe headaches which he assumed were the result of the wolf bite. He hadn't exactly been up to sitting up and looking around. Now, the only question he was fighting was…where should he go from here? Out of the corner of his eye, Nick saw Thaddeus Anderson walking up to him. Nick couldn't help but chuckle. How the man stood up right without being blown away was beyond him; the man was as thin as a bean pole.

"I see you're feeling better." Thaddeus, who had determined to have a serious talk with Nick once he was up and around, said as he stopped a few feet from Nick.

"For now," Nick admitted, as leaned against the wagon. He wasn't blind. He could see the gentleman had something on his mind. Though, he didn't push him to tell him what was on his mind; he figured the man would do that in his own time. He did.

Thaddeus rested his arm on top of the wagon wheel and, keeping his eyes on Nick, asked if Marie had told Nick about Thaddeus knowing Tom.

"She mentioned it." Nick couldn't help but smile a little. He found it rather ironic that he'd wound up helping someone who had promised Tom to help his family if they ever needed any. It all seemed kind of backwards. Still, he had to admit it felt good to have been of help to them.

"I heard you tell my wife you were thinking on leaving us." He paused and then said, "We would prefer that you not do that. I don't know how much of what I've seen the past little while is from the shoulder wound," he said looking at Nick's arm that was resting in a sling, "and how much of it is connected to the wolf bite, but no man should die alone. Besides, who would haul your body back to Stockton if you should pass away?"

Nick shrugged his shoulders. He had to admit that one bothered him, the idea that he'd be buried away from the ranch and family had been the down side of leaving. "I hadn't expected anyone to." He admitted slowly. "I figured I'd be lucky if I got someone to send a telegram for me."

Thaddeus shook his head as he thought on the time he and his wife had already sacrificed-time that had delayed they're traveling plans. "I already told you. I promised your father that I would do anything I could for your family if I ever had the chance. If you won't consent to allow us to change our plans and accompany you back to Stockton and to your ranch at this time, at least say you'll stay with my wife and me. I know," he lifted up his hand, "Why leave your family in order to protect them only to put us at risk." He shook his head. "It's a risk we're willing to take." He paused and then chastised Nick. "It's a risk you're family would have taken had you given them half the chance." He again asked Nick to please reconsider as Thaddeus and Marie were willing to actually haul his body back to the Barkleys if it came down to it.

Nick, who was now feeling a bit guilty, half way wished he could get himself to go back to the ranch only the memory of slapping Heath and the fleeting thought of killing him kept him from doing so. Though, he had to admit he liked knowing that he would be taken home after the fact. He just hoped the Andersons wouldn't regret insisting that he stay. "All right, I'll stick with you." He stepped away from the wagon. "Though, we best get going. I've already cost you a bit of time as it is."

Thaddeus chuckled as he told Nick not to worry about it. "Mama doesn't like moving very fast anyway. Taking care of you was simply an excuse to move at a much slower pace." The two men stopped talking and went to help Mrs. Anderson to break camp.

~oOo~

Jarrod and Heath walked down the boardwalk of Willow Springs. It was almost dark. Having paid to have their horses kept at the livery stable, they'd made inquiries of the stable boy. The lad's words repeated themselves in their ears. _"I just started working here yesterday. You'd have to ask Carl Flynn. He worked here until that time. He works with his uncle now at the hotel. In fact, you might want to talk to his uncle first. After all, he's owned that place for years."_ Those words were followed by the memory of Jarrod gathering the family together and the words spoken during that time.

 _Heath sat quietly in the chair nearest the fireplace while Audra and Victoria sat on the sofa listening to Jarrod, who was standing near the fireplace, tell them all that Heath had confessed to him. Though, he was careful to stress the fact that it was Nick's idea not Heath's that he remain silent during the previous week._

 _"How could he!" Audra jumped to her feet; fear for her brother ran every inch of her, even though her eyes spit fire. "We're his family! He should have stayed here and let us help him!"_

 _"I know that; we all know that." Jarrod gave her a sympathetic smile and then sighed, still feeling torn between anger and understanding. "Only, what you don't know is," he looked at Heath as if to ask him if he wanted to tell her only to have Heath give a slight shake of the head. "Nick decided to leave after slapping Heath." He wasn't surprised to hear gasps come from both his sister and his mother._

 _"Go to Willow Springs," Victoria spoke as she sat as straight as she could, "Find out if, by chance, he's still there. If not, see what you can find out. See if you can get any leads at all." She fought to keep her composure as she stood up. "If you find him, make sure he knows the door's still open, and he needs to come home. He needs to let us help him." She then turned and walked briskly out of the room._

"We're not going to find him here." Heath spoke up as they came to the hotel. "You know that."

Jarrod sighed and nodded. "No, but maybe we can get that lead mother was talking about." At least, he hoped they would. If not, they'd have no choice but to go home and hope the Pinkertons, whom he had sent a wire to, would find something.


	7. Chapter 7

Previously _: "We're not going to find him here." Heath spoke up as they came to the hotel. "You know that."_

 _Jarrod sighed and nodded. "No, but maybe we can get that lead mother was talking about." At least, he hoped they would. If not, they'd have no choice but to go home and hope the Pinkertons, whom he had sent a wire to, would find something._

 _~oOo~_

 _Jarrod and Heath sat at one of the tables that sat in the hotel's foyer and waiting for Harold Flynn to join them; he was checking in the last of the guests. The brown carpeted room held roughly four tables, a couple of couches and a few flowery decorations placed in two of its corners. Since the rest of the guests were already in their room, the place was pretty well quiet. The two brothers had already talked to the man's nephew, leaving out the part that Nick had been bit by a wolf. They didn't feel like anyone in Willow Springs needed to know that one. Carl Flynn had readily admitted to talking to Nick when he first rode into town, but told them he had been away from the stable when Nick left. "He'd already paid me so I wasn't exactly looking for him when I came back and he was gone." It was because the gentleman couldn't tell him exactly when Nick left that they were waiting for the man's uncle._

 _"Sorry about that," Harold Flynn closed the registry book and pushed it to the side of the counter before walking over to the table Jarrod and Heath sat at, pulled a chair out and sat down. "Just what can I do for you?"_

 _"We're looking for our missing brother." Jarrod went on to repeat what he'd told Carl and then asked the hotel owner if he could tell them anything._

 _Harold sat back in his chair and thought a moment. He remembered the tall dark headed rancher well, even if he hadn't mingled with the guests much. Then again, maybe that's why he remembered him so well. "He spent the one night here and asked about Jean Price the next morning. I told him where he could find her and her husband. From what I hear, the three had a good visit, and then he left immediately left town. Sorry, that's all I can say. You could talk to Jeanie and her husband though. Maybe they would know something." He started to rise and then stopped. His eyebrows furrowed just a little and then he added, "You know, you might want to talk to the sheriff too." He wasn't surprised to see the shocked looks on Jarrod and Heath's faces. "Not that your brother caused any trouble while he was here, he didn't. It's just that we have a pretty observant sheriff and a friendly one. I wouldn't be surprised if he had a chat with your brother is why I made the suggestion."_

 _"We'll visit both places first thing in the morning." Jarrod said after asking where the couple lived. Mr. Flynn then excused himself. His guests might sleep at night, but he didn't since he always had his help working days so he could work nights._

 _A somewhat uncomfortable silence fell between Heath and Jarrod as they wondered what, if anything, Jeanie, her husband or the sheriff might be able to tell them. That is, if they could tell them anything at all. "Well, at least he got his curiosity about Jeanie Price satisfied." Heath spoke up after a few moments; his voice was soft as he recalled the look in Nick's eyes when he spoke his thoughts concerning the woman._

 _Jarrod stiffened ever so slightly. He didn't have to be told Heath feared that someone from the other side might just have granted Nick his last request per se; he could tell it by the solemn look on Heath's face and could hear it in the soft tone in which Heath spoke. If truth be told, he couldn't help but fear the same thing. Maybe, that's why he stiffened the way he did. "We'll find him, Heath." Jarrod did his best to reassure Heath. "And, we just have to believe we'll find him alive. Or," he sighed, "at least believe the Pinkertons will if we can't."_

 _Heath didn't reply right away as he thought on the hot tempered brother he had become such good friends with. Life would feel pretty empty if Nick wasn't working with him. "I should have fought him harder. There was no need for him to leave."_

 _Jarrod shook his head. He knew Nick far better than to believe Heath could have gotten him to stay when he, Nick, had already decided to leave. Jarrod then recalled the conversation Silas had with him before he, Jarrod, had walked out of the house. "Silas is right Heath; you even admitted that. Don't go beating yourself up over this. Let's go get some sleep and then do as Mr. Flynn suggested." He stood up, picking up his hat as he did so. Heath did the same and then followed Jarrod up to the rooms they'd been given. While he was not an overly religious man, Heath still sent up a silent plea, one asking for help in finding their brother._

 _~oOo~_

 _Jarrod and Heath might have been sleeping only Nick wasn't. He sat on top of a boulder smoking a cigarette. He would have been sleeping only his head had started hurting something fierce. It might not have been as fierce as the one he'd had in the Willow Springs livery stable; still, he'd had to get up and take one of the pills the doctor had given him. Now, with the pain gone, his mind was on the second reason for his journey….*making his life count for something more than horses, cattle and making money **.**_

 _He glanced towards the wagon where the Andersons slept, rubbing his shoulder as he did so. Early that evening one of the wagon wheels had broken. It had taken a while, but he and Mr. Anderson had been able to fix it. "I hope we don't have too many more delays" Mr. Anderson's words repeated in his ears "Our son and daughter in law are expecting us to be at their place, a small two hundred acre ranch outside Silver Peaks, Nevada no later two and a half weeks. If we don't have any more delays, we can be travel the hundred miles it will take to get there in two. Of course, I think it's best if we cross the Palm Desert at night. It will be cooler. I don't think it will make any difference when it comes to traveling through any mountains."_

 _Nick might have balked the first time he'd learned that it wasn'tjust Mr. and Mrs. Anderson that would be taking a risk….only Mr. Anderson assured him that would not be a problem. "I know my son and daughter in law well, Nick. Once they learn what you did for us, both of them will want you to stay. Besides, Teresa is barren so you don't have to worry about the possibility of hurting any children." Nick put out his cigarette as he decided that- if the man upstairs allowed him time- making sure the Andersons got to their son's place was worth the effort and would have to do when it came to making his life account for something. That is, if he didn't find something else afterwards. Pulling out his wallet, he pulled the picture he kept inside of it. Gazing upon his family members, he said quietly, "I'll always love you." He then put the picture back in his wallet and headed for his bedroll. Morning came early, and he needed some sleep if it would come._

 _A/N I took the reason right from the episode. Also, according to search?q=Silver+Peak+Nevada &rlz=1C1AVNC_enUS601US601&oq=Sil&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i65j69i57j69i61j0l2.1558j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8 Silver Peaks only had 107 residents in 2010. However, I know from the history of the silver mines here in Utah that the population when the mining towns were booming was easily over 1,000._


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Jarrod and Heath stood in front of the Baum's home talking to Jeannie whose son was playing in the front yard. "I'm sorry," she said as she held onto the top of the white picket fence surrounding her home. She had been stunned to learn that Nick had, as Jarrod had told her, left Stockton due to health concerns. Right or wrong, it was the closest that Jarrod or Heath was going to get to telling anyone in the town what drove their brother away from home. She was equally shocked to learn that Nick was missing. "He never said exactly what his business was or where he was going. We were curious I admit, but that's not something you just up and ask someone you haven't seen for years."

Jarrod wasn't about to disagree with her, neither was Heath. "So, you didn't see which way he headed?"

"No, my son is a very active boy. He kept me busy the moment Nick left the house." She then surprised them by making the same suggestion the hotel owner had the night before. "If anyone would know which way he went it would be Sheriff Larson. If he doesn't know, no one does." She said as she turned and excused herself; her son was trying to escape through a part of the fence her husband had promised to fix the moment he got home from work.

Heath and Jarrod turned away from the house and, climbing a few nearby steps, started walking down the boardwalk towards the sheriff's office. It could be seen not two hundred feet from the Baum's home. The moment they stepped into the office the salt and peppered haired sheriff, who was actually only in his early forties, looked up from his desk. "May I help you?"

Jarrod once again explained why he and Heath had come to town and why they were now standing inside the lawman's office. "We were hoping that, by some wild chance, you would know something."

Sheriff Larson tapped his pencil on the table while a look of someone deep in thought appeared on his face. Just as Heath and Jarrod were beginning to think the silence meant the sheriff only had bad news for them, the law man spoke up. "I did happen to talk to him on his way out only he never mentioned where in particular he was going. The only thing he said was that he was heading east. Later my deputy mentioned that your brother rescued a couple when they were attacked by a couple of wanted men." He shrugged his shoulders and added that he had no reason to doubt either one as Nick had exited Willow Springs from the east side of town. "You know, that's been a number of days ago; still, maybe if you head that way for a spell, you'll catch another lead." Then, wanting to be more help, the sheriff said, "If you want, I could send a few wires out to friends I have. They could keep an eye out for him. Though, it might help if I had a message I could send with it." He looked at Jarrod and Heath as if to ask _'Well?'_

"Tell him we want him to come home." Heath answered after a moment and then looked at Jarrod as if to ask him if he had anything to add.

Jarrod didn't have to think about what he wanted to say; he knew just what he wanted Nick to hear if someone besides Heath and he found him. ***** _"Tell him his family has the right to share his troubles with him, that it's our duty to help him if we can, and it's his duty to let us…he doesn't have the privilege to change that_ _fact_." Jarrod sat straight and tall as he spoke. The sheriff could hear the sincerity of the man's words in his voice and could see it in Jarrod's eyes. For that matter, he saw the same sincerity in Heath's eyes. However, before he could say anything, Jarrod added quietly but with just as much force, if not more, " _Tell him to come on home_ , _tell him Pappy said so_."

Pappy? It was all the sheriff could do not to raise an eyebrow. The man was a brother and, from the looks of it, not much older one, and yet he used such a term. There had to be an extra strong bond between the brothers for such a thing to exist. "I'll do that."

"Thank you," Jarrod said as he handed the man money for the wire.

Jarrod and Heath then stood up and left the office. Once outside Heath looked at Jarrod. "Who's going to send a telegram to mother?"

Jarrod gave him a small smile. He didn't have to ask why Heath was thinking along those lines. "I will. Afterwards, we can head east. Though," Jarrod put his hands on his hips and said as he wheels in his head turned, "Why don't you go to the saloon. I know what Mrs. Baum said only she could be wrong. See if by chance he stopped in there and said anything at all."

"Will do," Heath said as he turned and wasted no time going to the saloon. By the time Heath stepped inside the establishment, it was pretty well full. Smoke filled the room while men sat at various tables talking or playing cards. Heath made his way to the bar and ordered a beer. He figured he'd have more luck getting information if he was buying something too.

"I'm looking for my brother." He told the bartender as he paid for the beer the gentleman handed him. "I was hoping you'd seen him." He knew what the sheriff had said only he figured asking the bartender wouldn't hurt.

"I've seen a lot of men in here, mister." The short and balding bartender told him as he put the money Heath gave him in the cash register.

Heath proceeded to describe Nick and asked again if the man had seen him.

"I vaguely remember him." The bartender admitted. "But it wasn't because he came in here. I was coming out of the hardware store when he was riding out of town. Sorry."

Heath nodded and turned to leave only to find a brown haired fellow who stood roughly five feet nine inches behind him. Since the man wore a badge, Heath assumed he was the sheriff's deputy. He was proven right when the man introduced himself as Deputy Harmon and explained how he'd been out of town while Jarrod and Heath were talking to the sheriff. "My boss told me what was going on. May we talk?"

"Sure," Heath nodded.

"Not here," the deputy nodded towards the doors. "It's too noisy in here. Let's talk outside." Heath didn't argue as he drank down his beer and set the glass down on the counter before following the deputy outside. He then listened as the deputy told him what he, the deputy, had told the sheriff… how he'd been traveling back from a friend's home and was shocked to find Mr. Anderson burying the bodies of the men who had tried to hurt them, and their rescuer being shot. "I knew of the men who were killed. They were wanted by the law. I chatted with him for awhile and looked in on the man who had been injured saving their lives. And," He added due to the shocked look that leaped onto Heath's face, "And no, I failed to mention the fact that he'd been hurt to the sheriff."

Heath felt his heart skip a beat. "Why didn't you give the sheriff that information?"

"I don't know. Lousy as that sounds, I don't have a solid reason. Maybe, because he wasn't wanted by the law and he was being taken care of?" The deputy answered and then added, "I never really thought to ask them exactly where they were heading. I had no cause too really. It's not like they were doing anything wrong, nor did I know your brother was considered missing." He went on to tell him exactly what Nick's injury was.

"And they were still heading east?" Heath asked, having put a poker face on to keep his emotions in check.

"I don't know. But, yes, they were camped in that direction. But, like the sheriff said-it's been days. They could be going any direction by now." The deputy answered as he gave Heath the exact location of the camp.

Heath thanked him and hurried to see if Jarrod was through at the telegraph office. They needed to get some more supplies and leave town as soon as possible.

*Jarrod's words from The Night of the Wolf changed ever so slightly to fit the story,


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Jarrod and Heath sat around the fire pit that was the only proof anyone had ever been around. They would have been following a trail instead only just as they left town storm clouds started gathering. They hadn't even gone a mile when a storm hit, one that forced them back into Willow Springs. As soon as the storm had stopped, they'd hurried to the campsite the deputy had told Heath about to find their worst fears confirmed-any trail that had been left behind had been washed away.

"We have to go back to Stockton." Jarrod finally broke the silence that hung in the air. "There are three roads," he said pointing a road that led east, one that led in more of northeastward direction and one that turned westward. "Any tracks that were left behind have been washed away by the rain. There's no way to tell which road they took for sure. We have to go back; I'll let the Pinkertons to keep looking. They can cover more ground than we can."

"We can't just give up." Heath snapped almost as fiercely as he'd ever heard Nick snap. It didn't faze Jarrod, who knew how badly they were all hurting.

"I never said we were." Jarrod stood up and walked away from the fire pit. After stopping a few feet away, he turned around. "But we don't have the time or the man power to continue a search from here. I mean, not without a definite direction in which to go."

Jarrod was right and Heath knew it, though that didn't stop him from wishing things were different. Then again, he looked towards the road that ran east remembering the sheriff's words, would it hurt to travel a few miles more? He voiced his thoughts as he pointed towards the road he wished to travel on. "Would it hurt, Jarrod? I mean, Mother isn't expecting us back for a few days anyway."

Jarrod had the strongest impression that-even if Heath was right- they would be wasting their time, only he couldn't bring himself to tell his blonde haired brother that. Besides, a small portion of him hoped the impression was wrong. "All right but no more than ten miles Heath, we can't go farther than that and still make it back to the ranch on time. And, yes, we have to be on time. Mother and Audra are already being torn apart by this. We don't need to add to it."

Heath gave him a small lopsided, understanding smile even though his heart was aching. "I know." He stood up and headed for his horse.

 **One month after Nick left home**

Nick stood on the porch of Clay Anderson's home. It was a two story log home, one that sat on one hundred acres dotted with trees. That is, in the places he hadn't cleared away for the house, barn, corral and the areas in which his cows grazed. The trip to the small ranch lay on the outskirts of Silver Springs, had proved rather uneventful except for the headaches that continued to plague Nick, ones just strong enough to keep him from turning around and heading for home. True to his host's words, it had taken them two weeks to get to Thaddeus' son's house. Over the past five days they'd been in the home, Nick's temper had appeared twice. Only problem was, he didn't know if it was simply stress added to his normal temper or proof that he had indeed been infected.

Nick leaned against the post, gazed up at the stars and listened to the crickets singing. _"Of course, you'll stay here."_ He could hear Clay' and his wife's words from the first day he'd sent foot on the ranch with Thaddeus and Marie, words spoken after Thaddeus had told his son everything. Clay had also backed up what Thaddeus Anderson had told Nick before leaving California.

"I figured I'd find you out here." Thaddeus said as he stepped out of his son's house and onto the porch, making sure he stayed at least ten feet from Nick. Personally, he was willing to go closer only, after agreeing to make the journey with the Andersons, Nick had insisted on keeping some distance between them…to the point of riding his horse a good ten feet behind the wagon. It was a safety precaution on Nick's part, and Thaddeus knew it. Though, it didn't mean he thought it necessary.

"I needed to think." Nick answered as he rested his upper arms on the porch railing and leaned forward.

Thaddeus felt for the family's newest friend. However, there was one thing he had learned through the years…and it seemed that maybe Nick Barkley needed to hear it. "You know, son, a man doesn't have to do some huge deed to make his life amount to something. Many times it's the small and simple things that make the biggest difference."

Nick said nothing as he looked around the small ranch. He thought on all he'd done in his life. Sure he'd helped people where he could, and he and his family had had a lot of good times. And, he had stopped Thaddeus and Marie from being killed. "I can't go back." He turned his head and looked at Thaddeus. I can't risk it. And," He glanced back towards the house, "I'm still not convinced it's best that I stay here. I'm endangering you and your family now."

Thaddeus let out a 'harrumph' and batted his hand through the air. "Boy, open your eyes. With your situation the way it is, the only way you're going to feel like you're not endangering anyone is to go lock yourself up in one of those hospitals." He then shrugged his shoulders. "If you do start getting bad, we'll deal with it then." Mr. Anderson, whose voice had taken on a bit of stern tone, sighed and looked up at the sky before taking a deep breath and shocking Nick when he said quietly, "You're not the only man who faces death and finds himself with questions, Nick."

"You're dying?" Nick asked once he'd recovered from the shock that Mr. Anderson's non verbal message sent him.

"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't." Thaddeus turned around and leaned backwards against the railing. "I didn't want mama to be alone." he shrugged his shoulders. "So I took Clay and his wife up on their, one made after they found out what the doctors had said about me." He shrugged his shoulders. "Stay with us or go home, Nick. Don't go anywhere else. My mother always said no one ever caught a butterfly by chasing it. They have to stop and stand still."

Nick had to admit there was truth in words the man spoke. Slowly, he answered, "I guess I can spend the rest of my days helping around here. As I've said too many times already, I just can't endanger my family…only call me Jonathon."

Thaddeus might have wondered about the name but he wasn't that stupid. "Hide in plain sight, huh? Allright, now come in. It's time for supper." He headed for the door as he spoke the words, and Nick followed.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Jarrod was sitting in his chair behind his desk in the study when Audra knocked on the slightly opened door and poked her head in. Jarrod wasn't surprised by the sad look in her eyes. Ever since she'd calmed down after learning the truth about Nick, that sadness had been her companion to a small degree. It probably didn't help that she wasn't free to talk to just anyone about the situation. When the family had agreed to simply say that Nick was on a business trip that would keep him away from the ranch for a couple of months, how could she?

"May I help you?" He pushed the papers that he'd been doing his best to concentrate on aside and leaned back in his chair. He wasn't surprised when Audra said nothing as she made her way to the chair that sat off to his right. Only after sitting down did she look at her elder brother and ask softly, "Have they found anything yet?"

Jarrod didn't have to ask who she meant when she said 'they'; he already knew. He felt for everyone in the family, including the wayward Nick. How he wished his gut feelings had been proven wrong when he and Heath traveled the extra miles. Only he hadn't, and there was nothing he could do about it. He glanced at one of the papers lying on his desk; it was from the Pinkertons. "They're working on it sis. You need to remember we only contacted them after Heath and I returned home. They need more than two weeks to search the state of California." He wasn't about to tell her that he'd replied back and asked them to begin searching Oregon, Nevada and Arizona as well. He had begun to feel strongly that, since all three states bordered California, there was a chance his brother had gotten it into his head to travel to one of them. That information would only serve to upset her more; he just knew it.

Audra automatically grew defensive. "I know that! I was just asking if they've found anything, not condemning them for not looking faster. I just want to ask him why he couldn't trust us to help him! Anything wrong with that?"

"Calm down, sis." Jarrod stood up and walked around the corner of his desk. He laid his hands upon Audra's shoulders. "I never said there was anything wrong in asking, did I?" He kept his eyes on hers until she lowered her head ever so slightly.

"No," she answered and then cried out as she lifted her head back up, "What if they don't find him, Jarrod? What if he…" she choked up as she found it impossible to finish her train of thought.

Jarrod gave her a comforting hug. Silently he cursed and asked Nick how he could have gone and done such a thing. "We'll find him, honey. One way or the other we'll find him." He released his hold on her and stepped back, wiping the tears from her face as he did so. "You just have to believe that."

Audra wanted to believe him. More than anything, she wanted to both slap and hug Nick, slap him for leaving and hug him to let him know she still loved him. "I'm doing my best to. It's just so hard every time another day passes by, not knowing where he is."

She wasn't saying anything he didn't already know. "Mother's going to town soon. Why don't you go with her?" He made the suggestion hoping that the distraction would help take his sister's mind off Nick even for a few minutes.

"But who will help Silas fix lunch for you and Heath?" Audra replied, concern for her two brothers' welfare pushed the fear she had for Nick temporally aside.

"Don't worry. We'll manage." Jarrod refrained from making any negative comment concerning her cooking as he assured her all would be well. He then walked her to the study door. "Just go, relax and have some fun."

No sooner had Audra left the room than Heath stepped into the study. "Is Audra all right?" He asked, as he glanced back towards the door he'd just closed. Like Jarrod, he'd seen how hard of a time Audra was having.

Jarrod let out a long drawn out sigh as he walked back around his desk, sat down and picked up the Pinkerton report once more. The words '…nothing found yet' jumped up at him with the same amount of force as it had the first time he read it. "As well as the rest of us, I suppose." He handed the report to Heath.

Heath took the papers, sat down in the chair that Audra had been using and then began reading. Once he was done Heath set the papers back on Jarrod's desk. "Any chance he's left the state?" Heath asked.

Jarrod couldn't help but start chuckling as he confessed what he, Jarrod, had asked the detectives to do. He then grew serious. "Tomorrow is the last day I have to be in court for a few weeks. What are you doing?"

Heath gave him a crooked smile. "Nothing that I can't hand over to McColl, I'll be ready to leave when you get home from town tomorrow."

Jarrod shook his head. "Most likely I won't be home until late tomorrow night. Let's plan on getting a good night sleep afterwards and then head out first thing in the morning."

Heath nodded. He could see where his brother was coming from. Besides, even if they tried to leave the moment Jarrod got home from court Victoria would have a fit due to the lateness of the hour; she'd say it wouldn't do any good to start a search if they were dead on their feet. "Sounds like a plan to me," he answered as he stood up and excused himself, saying that he needed to go talk to McColl.

After Heath had walked out of the room, Jarrod leaned back in his chair and cupped his hand over his chin and, due to Audra's comment about trust, let his mind turn back in time.

 _"Son," Tom stood in the study looking up at Jarrod, who was upset with Nick for not telling him how badly some boys in school were harassing him. That is, not until he had no choice but to confess it. Jarrod had complained about the lack of trust Nick was showing him. "I don't think it has anything to do with his not trusting you. I think it's more of wanting to protect you."  
_  
"We've always protected each other, Nick! We could have done it again!" Jarrod growled only to himself, and then did what he could to get his mind back on his work.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Nick was sure the sun was throwing all of its heat down upon him as he hammered another nail into the corral fence he was fixing. The past couple of weeks had been wonderful. He did whatever job Thaddeus or Clay gave him for the day and then visited with father and son in the evening. Naturally, he talked with Thaddeus' wife as well. As he thought on the family he couldn't help but sigh. Everything had been going so well the past week; he'd almost forgotten he was supposed to be dying and had begun to think about contacting them…that is, until the day before.

 _"We keep going at this pace and we'll have nothing to mend on the ranch!" Clay, who sat in 'his' brown chair, that sat near the fireplace in his living room and joked as he looked at his father, sitting on the sofa in the middle of the room.  
_  
 _"There's always something to fix on a ranch." Nick-who stood next to the fireplace-chuckled as he remembered how many times he, one of his brothers or one of the ranch hands had had to go mend one fence or another.  
_  
 _"Tell me about it! Clay's foreman, Kurt, told me before I came in to tell you," Thaddeus chuckled and looked at his son, "that the main corral needs fixing. Maybe you can get Nick to help you do the job."  
_  
 _Just as he finished speaking, Marie and Teresa walked in and handed their husbands a drink. Marie then asked Nick if he wanted one. Before he had a chance to answer, Nick was startled to have a strong wave of resentment roll over him, resentment that Thaddeus wouldn't ask him if he wanted to help. The same rage that had reared its head the day he'd slapped Heath might actually have reared its heard only, before Nick could react, he found himself squinting his eyes as he felt pain begin to build in his head.  
_  
 _"Nick?" Thaddeus, who had actually been a doctor until his health forced him to quit, quickly stood up-as did his son.  
_  
 _Nick didn't answer as he found himself grabbing his head, dropping to his knees and letting out a loud-involuntary-gasp as he did so. Clay and Thaddeus flew to Nick's side, while Thaddeus barked for his wife to get the pills out of the small container that was kept on the fireplace mantle.  
_  
 _Nick let out another involuntary cry as he began thrashing around. However, he Clay and Thaddeus grabbed him and held on until, until Marie place one of Nick's pill's near him..having been instructed by her husband never to try to hand it to Nick herself. Though it was a struggle, Nick managed to get the pill and swallow it without any water.  
_  
 _Once the pain had subsided and Nick was sitting quietly on the floor, Clay and Thaddeus let go of him. After a few minutes, Nick stood up, excused himself and disappeared into the bedroom the Andersons were letting him use. However, before closing the bedroom door, Nick asked the family to leave him alone for the night.  
_  
Nick leaned against the fence and shook his head. That horrendous headache, along with the unexpressed feeling of resentment, had been a stark reminder that he didn't have much time left. He might have continued on with his thoughts only he saw a rider approaching. He stiffened as he was sure that the gentleman, a black haired, medium sized man, who Nick guessed would stand six feet if he dismounted his horse, was someone he should know-but for the life of him, he couldn't get a name to come.

By the time the rider stopped his horse near the corral Clay was standing next to Nick; he'd been in the nearby barn and saw the rider coming. "May I help you?" Clay, who knew the rider well, asked roughly.

It didn't pass by Nick that Clay had moved his hand to a resting position upon his gun. He didn't know why, only the defensive stance his friend took brought the memory of the fight at Sample's farm back to him. It was all Nick could do to remain standing. He might not know the man's name only he remembered his face; the gentleman had fought on the side of the railroad! Silently, he swore.

"You know what I want and I don't see what the problem is. The parcel of land my employer wants to buy from you is not attached to this ranch and, from what I can see, you're not using it." The gentleman snapped rather rudely.

 ***** "I don't doubt that someday a railroad will be built in this area." Clay answered tersely. "I also told you I didn't buy that land for nothing! It's not for sale. Now get off my ranch!"

The stranger went to try to 'talk some sense into Clay' only to be stopped by Nick. "My friend told you to get off this land. I suggest you do it." He rested his hand upon his own gun as he did so.

For the first time since riding up to the Anderson place, the stranger took a good look at Nick. His eyes widened and he quickly backed off. He had not expected to see any of the Barkleys in Nevada, and he didn't feel like tangling with one of them now. "I'll leave for now." He turned his horse around and rode away.

Clay had seen the way their visitor had looked at Nick. He remembered Nick telling him and his father about the Barkley's fight against the railroad. That being the case, he took a wild guess as to why the man had backed off. "I'm sorry. Your last days shouldn't have to include fighting a man like him again."

"Might not be so bad," Nick chuckled, "as long as I can take him, or someone like him, down with me." He then asked Clay what the man's name was and, if what the man said about the land in question was true, why Clay didn't want to sell it. He also asked how much trouble he thought the railroad would give him.

"My wife may be barren, Nick, but we have started to talk about finding a couple of children to adopt. Of course, I would want one of them to be a boy. While the ranch would go to the boy when he's grown, I want to be able to give the girl something too. Okay so the old compound that Silver Peaks once used as a prison of sorts sits upon the land and will have to be destroyed, but that is a minor detail." Clay answered as he looked towards the house. "As far as our visitor goes, his name is Garrett Jackson; he just bought into the main silver mine that sustains Silver Peaks." He paused and then shrugged his shoulders and said, "I can't prove it, and you can call me crazy if you want, only I just know the railroad won't fight to get the land from me. However, if there's any threat, it's going to come directly from Mr. Jackson. You see, that land lies next to his…and he's selling some of his land to the railroad. I fear he'll be back and I'll have to fight him."

Nick grunted as he turned his attention back to the corral. "If you do, you won't be alone. That is," he sighed as he lifted the hammer in his hand and brought it down upon another nail. "If I'm still around when he comes back."

The two men might have continued talking only the front door to the Anderson home opened and Teresa came barreling out; the whole time she was yelling for her husband, telling him his father had collapsed and that he was asking for Clay and for Nick. Within a matter of minutes, Nick and Clay were talking with Thaddeus…and Nick was thinking more about his family.

 **wiki/Silver_Peak,_Nevada**

I realize Wikipedia is not the best resource to use only, since this is fan-fiction, it will do.

 ***** Clay's comment is inspired by the following information which comes from the above link. The Silver Peak Railroad was built by the Pittsburgh Silver Peak Gold Mining Company after it bought a group of mining properties in 1906 and established a 100 stamp mill at Blair, Nevada in 1907. Blair's mill closed in 1915, and Blair was a ghost town by 1920.[10] Silver Peak maintained a population, however, even though it burned in 1948. It began to thrive again when Foote Mineral Company began extracting lithium from below the floor of Clayton Valley in 1966.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

"I don't know what you're so all worked up over. So Clay's father brought Nick Barkley along with them; so, he's now helping the Andersons around their ranch and going by a name other than Nick. So what?" James Trumball, a red headed friend of Garret Jackson who had just arrived in Silver Peaks, looked at Garrett. The two friends were sitting in the Silver Peaks Saloon drinking a few beers and talking about the fact that Garrett had been unsuccessful when it came to getting Clay Anderson to change his mind…and the fact that Nick Barkley was friends with the family. "I told you; I overheard two men who work for the Andersons say that our friend has one foot in the grave already. They say the man has debilitating headaches and that he's dying. Okay, if that's true, I too wonder about the name change and why he isn't with his family, but what does it matter? He'll be gone soon enough. Why not simply wait until he's gone to do something about Clay? I mean, you do anything to this Nick Barkley and you invite the whole Barkley clan and his friends down upon us. Besides, if he's as sick as I hear, he's cursed.

"When it comes to his family, I know that already!" Garret Jackson growled softly as he rubbed his upper left arm; Nick had been the one to put a bullet into him during the fight at Sample's farm. "And headaches don't make one cursed! I can't wait around to see if that rumor you just talked about is true or not! No, if he's still here in one week, I'll simply have to deal with both him and the Andersons." He didn't figure he had to specify what he meant by that. His friend had been around the block enough to read between the lines.

Unbeknownst to Mr. Jackson, his words had been heard by a dark haired, quiet, gentleman sitting in the corner of the room who had just arrived in town. Like Garret and his friend, he'd seen more than enough to know what Garret was saying. With his attention on his friend, Garrett missed seeing the same gentleman stand up and walk out of the saloon and head for the telegraph office the moment he was outside. Later, that same gentleman slipped out of town unnoticed.

 **~oOo~**

Thaddeus, who had insisted on being moved from his bed onto a chair on the porch in spite of his family's objections, shook his head. "Nick," he saw no reason to say Jonathon when the stranger apparently already knew the truth, spoke sharply even if his voice was not as strong as it had been. "You do not have to make this your fight." Mr. Anderson looked at the stranger who had ridden straight for the Anderson ranch after leaving Silver Peaks and then turned his face back towards Nick. "You only have another two weeks before the time you were given is up. I'm sure you'll be fine; go home."

"Listen to my father, my friend." Clay, who was sitting on top of the railing and resting his back against the outside of the wall, urged Nick.

"No," Nick, who had been thinking about everything Clay had told him about Garret as they talked the night before, along with the fact that the men Mr. Jackson hung around thought and acted just like him. "You two know as well as I do I'm still having headaches. Also, whether or not I like it I've had to fight to keep bouts of unexplained rage from totally overtaking me. If it's the last thing I do, I'm going to help you get rid of any threat from Garrett Jackson." He looked at Clay. He then looked at the stranger in front of him, not at all happy to learn that Garrett and his friend had referred to him as Nick. "Who are you? Why did you come out to warn us?" The look in his eyes was one of suspicion, and the tone in his voice matched it.

"My name is Scott Meyers." The gentleman kept a straight face as he spoke. He slowly explained that he was a Pinkerton Agent. He wasn't surprised when Nick's grasp on the porch railing tightened. "Your brother, Jarrod, hired the Pinkertons to find you." He then gave Nick the message that Jarrod had not only given the Willow Spring's sheriff, but the Pinkerton Agency as well. By the time he was finished speaking one could have heard a pebble drop.

Nick wasn't really surprised by what he had just heard. Of course Jarrod would do all that was possible to find him. And, he was sure every member of the family was behind him when Jarrod told him to come home. However, it didn't change a thing. Sure, he had come to realize just how much pain he'd really inflicted upon his family by leaving. Only he couldn't bring himself to say he regretted leaving either. It had been the only way he'd known to protect them; it still was. "Well, Mr. Myers, you've done your job. You found me." He barked sharply, not caring if he was being too loud. "Now, please, go." His voice softened and a look of sincere remorse filled his eyes. "Tell my family I'm sorry. Tell them as much as I love them, and I know they love me, I can't go home yet. And," he voice grew firm again, "Do not tell them where I am! Just say that, eventually, I will come home one way or the other." He figured he didn't have to specify what he meant by that.

Mr. Myers knew better than to admit he'd already sent a wire to his boss telling him what he'd learned in the saloon, and that he had every intention of sending a second wire as well. Also, there was no way he was going admit that he was going to leave it up his supervisor as to what was, or wasn't, said to the Barkleys. "I will give my supervisor the message." He then turned around, mounted his horse and rode away. Only when he was gone did Clay speak again.

"Just what are you thinking, and don't tell me nothing. I've gotten to know you pretty well these past few weeks and I can tell something is on your mind." Clay said as he swung his legs, which had been resting on top of the railing, around and slid off.

Nick couldn't help but chuckle. If it wasn't for the fact that Clay and his father had both proven to be rather observant, he might have wondered how the man could say that. As it was, he simply looked off in the direction the land Garrett wanted lay. "I'm moving onto that land and into that old compound you told me about. And Clay is going into town." He turned his head back towards his hosts.

"What!" Thaddeus and Clay both exclaimed as Clay took a step closer. "Why on earth would I do that?" Clay was confused and he didn't like it.

"Because, I don't believe Mr. Jackson will wait a week to try and deal with me. And," Nick shrugged his shoulders, "he needs to learn to beware of a man who has nothing to lose. When that happens, I don't want the women involved. So, you're going to make sure he knows where I'm at." Nick looked through the living room window as he continued talking.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Heath was sure the stagecoach had hit every pothole available by the time it rolled into Nevada and drew closer to Silver Peaks…and was starting in on another round. He looked at Jarrod who had his head turned towards the window of the stagecoach he was sitting next to and was staring at nothing in particular. He didn't have to ask why his elder brother wore such a troubled look on his face. It was a look that was on Heath's as well, and for the same reason. He turned his attention to the window next to him and let his mind wander also as the stagecoach continued rolling down the road.

 _"What?" Heath felt his heart pounding as Jarrod, who had ridden through the front gate as if he was being chased by a fire, dismounted his horse and told him about the telegrams he'd just received._

 _"Nick's in Nevada." Jarrod handed him two telegrams which he'd received just as he stepped out of the courtroom during a short recess. "The judge let me turn the last of the proceedings over to one of my associates. I'm grabbing my things and leaving now. If you're coming along, go tell McColl he's in charge only hurry. I'm not waiting around."_

 _Heath took the telegrams and read the first "One of our agents heard rumors. Silver Peaks high possibility", and then read the second "Agent says brother at Anderson Ranch, outside Silver Peaks….refuses to leave…symptoms still present….outcome still questionable.". Heath felt himself rock back and forth ever so slightly. "Don't die, Nick, don't you dare!" He muttered angrily and then ran towards the corral where he could see McColl. The moment McColl knew what was going on, Heath raced into the house where he found Victoria talking to Jarrod._

 _"Just bring him home, Jarrod. Whether it's to live here or," her voice broke as she thought on what might very well be Nick's condition by the time Jarrod and Heath got to him, "or to be…" her voice broke again; she was unable to continue._

 _"Don't worry, mother." Jarrod gave her a firm hug. "Leave it to Heath and me; Nick is coming home. I promise!" If he had to have an all out fight with the dark haired rancher, he would._

Heath turned his attention to Jarrod when his elder brother started talking to him, though he-Jarrod-kept his face forward. "Once when Nick was sixteen years old he got trapped in a mine shaft. I was up in San Francisco studying law. I woke up in the middle of the night and started riding, and I didn't stop riding until I got home. No one had to tell me my brother was in trouble, I just knew it." Jarrod turned his head and looked at Heath. "I knew before you told me about the wolf that whatever trouble Nick was in, it was serious, only…" he paused as his shuddered ever so slightly, "I never dreamt there was a possibility the trouble just might lead to the family losing him…forever."

Heath could see the same anguish that dwelt in his heart in Jarrod's eyes. He also felt strange to realize that, for a change, Jarrod seemed to be turning to him for extra strength. It felt wrong, yet it didn't. After all, Jarrod might be an exceptionally good, strong man, only he was still human. And, every human being needed to lean on someone every once in awhile. "Like you told mother, we'll bring Nick home. That is, after we reach this Anderson ranch and pound some sense into that thick skull of his." Heath said, not even attempting to hide the fact that he was displeased with Nick choosing to run like he did.

Jarrod couldn't help it; he let out a slight chuckle. Nick was a stubborn one. Then again, that wasn't really news to anyone who knew their family. The rest of the trip was made in silence as the two brothers were left to relive one memory after another…and to pray and hope there would be more memories made in the future.

 **~oOo~**

"Are you sure about this, Nick?" Clay stood on the outside of the fence of the old 'prison' Silver Peaks had long since ceased to use. Clay had had every intention of taking the fence down and knocking down the last few remaining buildings, only Nick had asked him to wait until he, Nick, was gone. Whether he'd be gone due to rabies or simply gone because he'd went home was another story.

Nick stood on the inside of the fence and looked around. It felt more than a bit eerie, but who was he to complain? He was sure the eeriness of the place would actually help him when Garrett Jackson showed up. "I told you before that I've spent far too much time at your place as it is. Besides," Nick said as he started laughing, "It will be easier to deal with Garrett when he's stupid enough to come here." Nick quit talking as, in his mind; he could see Thaddeus sitting on the porch looking rather poorly. The older man's words still haunted Nick. _"I don't like this; I can't help but feel we shall never see each other again. Well, not in this life anyway."_

Clay wasn't about to argue with him on that one. Truth was, Clay felt the same way. "What about that friend we told you about, the one we found out is indeed working with him?" Clay asked as he kept his eyes on Nick as he talked.

Nick shrugged his shoulders. "From all the private talks I've had with either you or your father, I am banking on that 'friend' deciding it's bad luck to come out to deal with a man who has put himself in self imposed exile. Doesn't matter though, even if he comes with Garret I'm not changing my mind. One way or the other, Mr. Jackson will pay for bothering you. Now, go home. And, if you would, please thank your father again for all he's done for me too. And," he paused and then added quietly, "if I do pass on, ask my family to please forgive me."

Clay wasn't going to tell Nick that he was simply going to stay out of sight and keep an eye the best friend he and his family ever had. "I'll do that." Clay answered as he turned and walked out of sight.

~oOo~

Even as Clay and Nick were talking, Nick's hopes concerning Garrett's friend were being granted; James Trumball and Garrett Jackson were fighting inside Garrett's home in Silver Peaks.

"You can't pull out on me! You promised!" Garrett was furious at the idea that he'd be alone as he went to deal with Nick Barkley, and forgetting about Nick Barkley was not an option in his book.

"I told you before!" James hissed, "There is something Clay wasn't saying when he came to town. For Nick to insist on staying in that abandoned place by himself; there's got to be more going on than headaches! No, I tell you that man is cursed which makes that land cursed as well! Besides, knowing my luck, something would happen to make you freeze just long enough to get us both killed I don't even know why I agreed to come here in the first place!" James, who knew just how yellow his friend could really be, barked and turned around storming out the front door as he did so.

Garrett growled and would have fed his friend a fist for saying such things. As it was, he simply exited his home, heading for his horse once he was outside. It would be Nick Barkley that died, not him! That was one thing Garrett swore would happen.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N I know "Garrett Jackson" did not shoot the character Frank in "The Palms of Glory"…it's just a fact that I've played with for the sake of the story.

Chapter Fourteen

Garrett muttered under his breath as a few rain drops fell from the sky and hit him upon the head. Wasn't it bad enough to that he'd lost his help; did he have to deal with a storm as well? He let out a string of cuss words as he failed to see a low hanging branch, consequentially the branch wound up hitting the side of his head. If he was as superstitious as James had been, he would have said someone was trying to wake him up and get him to turn around. As it was, he was superstitious enough to have find himself a bit nervous…but not enough to turn around. Besides, he still owed Nick one. Garrett reminded himself of that fact as his mind wandered back to Sample's farm. He had shot 'that stupid farmer'-as he was prone to say-only to find Nick shooting him moments later. The injury had laid Garrett up for a number of months, costing him a very lucrative job.

By the time he reached the border of the land he was interested in, the wind was howling and roaring in his ears. For a split second he thought about turning around only to have the fence and old buildings come into sight. He cursed the weather, but pushed forward. Not wanting Nick to see him coming, Garrett dismounted his horse and tethered the animal inside a clump of trees. He then started walking the best he could-not easy to do with the wind blowing so hard-around the perimeter of the fence. The place hadn't been used in so long he was sure there had to be a place other than the front gate that he could use to enter the place. However, he was shocked beyond measure to find the old place's fence to be in just as good condition-if not better-than it had been in the past.

"What did you go and do?" He muttered to no one but the wind. "Fix every nook and cranny?" "There has to be more than headaches…" his friend's words sounded once more in his ears. He might have easily pushed the thought aside only, just as he turned the far left hand corner of the area and headed back up towards the front, he heard an unearthly cry. Again, he thought about turning back only the desire to make Nick pay for the bullet he'd put into him-along with what it had cost him- pushed Garrett forward. Once he was standing in front of the gate he was shocked to see it was secured shut from the outside! "What on earth is going on?" He muttered. The last time he checked, gates like this were secured from the inside and watched by guards; that is, when they were in operation.

The smart side of Garrett told him to forget buying the land and selling it to the railroad. The stupid side reached out and opened the gate. Soon he was standing inside. He turned and shut the gate, though he made sure he could open it back up if he needed to. He then started carefully walking around the deserted compound.

 **(45 minutes before Garrett gets to where Nick is staying)**

"He wasn't supposed to tell you where your brother was." Teresa Anderson, who was standing on the front porch of her home, wasn't exactly happy to find Jarrod and Heath Barkley standing in the front yard. She had half a mind to go find a certain Pinkerton Agent and let him have both barrels…even if her feelings were torn in two when it came to Nick and his family. A part of her agreed with notifying Nick's family when it came to his whereabouts; on the other one, she didn't agree with going against what was most likely a dying man's wish either.

"He didn't. His boss did." Jarrod, anxious to see Nick, snapped harder than he meant to. "Sorry, we just want to talk to him."

"He's our brother." Heath spoke up as he kept his eyes on Clay's wife. "We have that right."

Teresa could tell by the looks on her visitors faces they weren't going anywhere until they got what they wanted; she couldn't blame them there either. "He's not here." She said after a few moments of strained silence. She wasn't surprised by the looks of horror and pain that appeared in Nick's brothers' eyes.

"He died?" Heath asked slowly.

"Don't know," Teresa shrugged her shoulders as she explained where Nick had gone and why. "My father in law tried to tell him he didn't have to go there, told him that Clay could handle whatever Mr. Jackson tried to do. But your brother felt he'd endangered us long enough." She answered.

"Where is this place he's staying?" Heath asked before Jarrod could.

Teresa shook her head slightly and started giving them directions to where her husband had taken Nick. The two brothers turned their horses around and pushed them forward.

 **(Back at the abandoned prison)**

Garrett stood inside the first of four buildings that still stood in the old make shift prison. It was rather small, probably one of the old housing units. The building was void of any beds, shelves or anything that would be of use to any human. He gave out a disgusted snort and exited the building. From where he stood on its porch he could see the other three buildings, two looked to be housing units as well. However, the fourth building was twice as large and had a door on each end. Garrett decided that had to be the main office at one time.

He walked away from the first unit and walked towards the second. It wouldn't have been so bad only the wind was still howling like crazy, and he couldn't shake the feeling he was being watched. Actually, the being watched part wouldn't be so bad only it was like more than one set of eyes following him. Maybe his friend was right. Maybe this place was cursed. However, before he could decide what to do the same unearthly scream he'd heard before filled the air once more. It might not have shaken him up so much only the sound was coming from behind him. He whirled around and felt his entire being freeze as his eyes widened, showing just how terrified he was. Nick Barkley stood not four feet from him with a wild look in his eyes…and white foam was coming out of one side of his mouth.

(Now since you've had heart failure...please keep reading.)


	15. Chapter 15

Previously: _He walked away from the first unit and walked towards the second. It wouldn't have been so bad, only the wind was still howling like crazy, and he couldn't shake the feeling he was being watched. Actually, the being watched part wouldn't be so bad, only it was like more than one set of eyes following him. Maybe his friend was right. Maybe this place was cursed. However, before he could decide what to do, the same unearthly scream he'd heard before, filled the air . It might not have shaken him up so much except the sound was coming from behind him. He whirled around and felt his heart freeze in terror. Nick Barkley stood not four feet from him with a wild look in his eyes…and he had white foam coming out of one side of his mouth._

Chapter Fifteen

Jarrod and Heath, who had been shocked to have Clay step out from some bushes and stop them from going to the compound telling them to stay with him instead, nearly had heart failure when they heard the first unearthly scream…and again when they heard it a second time and saw Nick appear looking quite mad. When they started to move, Clay again stopped them.

"I know you don't know me, but trust me please." Clay begged as he kept one eye on the compound and the other on them. Reluctantly, Jarrod and Heath remained where they were.

Seeing Garrett momentarily froze, Nick doubled up his right fist and sent it flying across the man's face and then lunged at him. Terrified Garrett let out a scream of his own and went for his gun only to find Nick literally kicking the firearm out of Garrett's hand. Garrett, who had stumbled backwards and lost his footing, fell to the ground. Nick let out another unearthly sound and once again lunged towards Garrett.

"NO!" Garrett let out a scream of his own and scrambled to his feet as he darted towards the gate only to find Nick grabbing him from behind and tossing him back towards the center of the compound.

Jarrod and Heath again began to rise only to have Clay bark as quietly as he could. "Please, just wait!"

"My brother's gone mad; there's an innocent man being terrorized, and you want us to wait?" Jarrod was confused. Before Clay had a chance to answer Nick had knocked Garrett unconscious. Jarrod and Heath stood stunned as they watched Nick sit down on a nearby crate, catch his breath and wipe the 'foam' off his mouth.

The realization of what had just taken place hit both brothers and Heath exclaimed, "He's not mad!" He then ran towards the compound; Jarrod and Clay were right behind him.

Nick, who heard the men coming, stood up. While he was shocked to see his brothers there, he wasn't surprised when he found Heath's fist hitting his jaw; the force of the blow sent Nick flying to the ground. Nick stood back up, looking from one brother to another, said with the tiniest of smiles, "I guess you want an explanation."

"Boy howdy, that's an understatement!" Heath barked, upset at being scared half out of his wits when it came to his brother and his state of mind.

Nick shrugged his shoulders and explained that the "foam" that had been coming out of his mouth was simply cream skimmed off milk. "I figured if our friend was going to come out here to take care of me, I might as well have a bit of fun with him before I…" he hesitated and then said, "passed on. And," he folded his arms and returned his brothers' glare, "I didn't know I was going to have an audience!"

Knowing Nick had a valid point, Heath and Jarrod simply shook hheir heads. Jarrod then turned to Clay. "May I assume you knew about this?" Jarrod asked after Clay secured Garrett's arms behind his back; the man was still unconscious.

"Yes, but I have a loud voice even when whispering." Clay answered. "I was taking a chance when I stopped you as it was. I couldn't risk explaining everything, especially since Nick here had ordered me to go home. Now, if you'll excuse me, with all the 'no trespassing signs' I put up on the fence, this fellow has broken the law. I need to get him to the sheriff." He looked at Nick. "Remember, I deal with what to tell our friend here." He pointed towards Garrett. "And, I don't care if you have just over a week before you're in the clear medically; please, think about coming back to the house. Better yet, go home with your brothers." He then, with the help of Heath, loaded Garrett into a nearby buggy, one that Jarrod had hitched Clay's horse to. Clay then hurried away without waiting for a reply as Garrett was beginning to come to.

"I won't waste my breath, or our time telling you how wrong you were in leaving. If I'm to be honest," Jarrod turned his attention to Nick, his eyes showed his love and concern for his brother, though there was a hard edge to the tone of his voice. "As much as I'd like to think differently, I don't know if I would have done any differently. Only now, there's no reason to continue to stay away. There is no reason to keep putting the family through this!"

"Isn't there?" Nick, turning even more defensive than he had been, snapped as he took another step backwards. "I have yet to go three days without a headache hitting me or a week to go by without having to fight to control a surge of rage." Nick eyes filled with sorrow and a look appeared in his eyes, one that begged Jarrod to understand. "For your own safety and the safety of the family, this is where I'm spending the rest of the sixty days I was given. If, after that time, you can truly forgive me, I'll come home… **if** the symptoms have left. But," he stepped onto the boardwalk that surrounded the closest housing unit, "until then you need to go back home."

"Not without you!" Jarrod folded his arms and looked around, though the hard edge to his voice was gone and nothing but love for Nick was in his eyes. "I've definitely spent vacations in better spots than this. Only, I supposed there's a first time for everything."

"Tell me about it." Heath gave Jarrod a lopsided grin and then looked at Nick. While he wasn't sorry for slugging the man, he didn't want to think Nick to think he was going to turn his back on him either. "We're not going back to Stockton unless you come with us."

Nick didn't like it and would have fought them on it, only after the performance he'd put on for Mr. Jackson, he just wasn't up to it. Besides, in spite of his good intentions, he had hurt them badly. That was something he was truly sorry for. "Have it your way." He said looking around. "There's plenty of room. Take your pick. That is, you can stay in any building but this one." Nick quickly turned around and disappeared into the housing unit he'd been using ever since setting foot onto the property.

For a moment neither Jarrod, nor Heath spoke as a painful silence filled the compound. "He's not going to change his mind." Heath said after a while. "You know that."

"I know. He's too stubborn for his own good." Jarrod looked around and again shook his head. "Guess we need to decide which building we're going to spend the next week or so in."

"Looks like it." Heath answered as he headed for the building closest to the one Nick was using.

From where he stood, Nick could see Jarrod and Heath disappear into the housing unit next door. He leaned against the window and let a few tears fall. For the first time in almost two months, he wanted to live worse than he ever had. He remained standing where he was for a solid hour and then gave in to his body's demand for sleep.

Two Weeks Later

Jarrod and Heath stood outside the Silver Peaks Cemetery. Thaddeus had been right when he said the two of them would never see each other again. By the time Nick and his brothers had walked out of Nick's self made prison, they had received word that Thaddeus Anderson had passed away in his sleep. Nick was now the only one standing by the man's permanent resting place.

"Well, it took a week longer than the doctor gave me for the symptoms to completely go away, only you were right; I did survive. And, you don't have to worry about Garrett bothering your son and his family." Nick chuckled. "It seems like everyone has deemed him crazy since he is insisting I've gone mad and have tried to attack him more than once." Okay, so that part might be helped by the fact that Nick had gone down to the jail the night before and, using more cream, let Garrett see his, Nick's, face outside his jail cell window. The man's screams had brought the jailor running. Though, by the time he got there Nick had conveniently disappeared. "My brothers and I talked everything out too." Nick then spoke quietly for a change as he spoke his feelings. Only when he had turned away and joined his brothers did any of them speak.

"Ready to go home?" Jarrod asked as he and Heath looked at Nick, who was still looking rather solemn.

"Yeah," Nick answered as he looked back at the graveyard. "Though, I'm not sure I'm ready to face Mother."

That statement earned him some laughter and comments along the line of 'you brought that one on yourself, dear brother'. The three brothers then headed down the street. The stagecoach that would carry them to the nearest railroad station was due in soon, and they didn't want to miss it.

 **Epilogue**

All was quiet in the house, as Nick sat in front of the empty fireplace, gazing at nothing in particular. He and his brothers had arrived home a mere four hours ago. He and the family had sat down and talked everything out...which meant Nick got an earful first. Though, he didn't mind. He figured they had every right. Now, with his family having retired for the night, Nick was left alone, lost in his thoughts. He might have been lost in them for hours, only he heard the swishing of a skirt. He glanced over his shoulders and saw Victoria entering the room. He wasn't surprised and turned his gaze back to the fireplace.

"You should be in bed." Victoria said as she stood beside him, resting her hand upon his right shoulder. Nick wasn't surprised by the love and concern that he could hear in her voice and, if he looked, he knew he'd see it in her eyes.

"Couldn't sleep," Nick answered as he finally looked up at his mother. "Keep on thinking how I could have lost you all and how right Jarrod and Heath were when they said how wrong it was for me to run off like I did. I…it's just like I told you though. I've just never been that afraid before. Not just for myself, but the family as well. If I had stayed, if I had hurt any of you …" his voice trailed off. Just how afraid he'd really been had never been mentioned in the talks he'd had with his family. Those talks had been centered more on his concern for his family and their safety.

"Nick," Victoria, took her hand off his shoulder and-pulling another chair over-sat down by her middle son. "Every person who has ever walked this earth has known fear at one time or another. Sometimes for others, sometimes for themselves, but they do feel it. It doesn't make you less of a man." She paused and then asked quietly, "If anything ever happens again, something that could rob you of your life, would you run again?" It was a fear that was naturally still very much with her.

Nick turned his head towards his mother and laid his hand on top of hers. He thought on the past two and a half months, on the Andersons and everything Thaddeus had ever said to him. "I had a very wise man tell me that one didn't have to do big things for his life to matter; he was right." Nick shook his head. "No, Mother, this is my home and you all are my family. If anything like this happens again, I will let the family help. I promise." He then turned his face back to the fireplace. Nothing more was said as he continued to dwell on his own private thoughts and Victoria gave him a hug and then slipped out of the room, thankful to have all her children under one room again.


End file.
